As I watch the controversy about the mosque at Ground Zero I think the bad guys are still impacting our country. The hatred and fear shown by my American brothers and sisters is sad. To deny anyone the right to pray in their temple shows how we don't know our constitution and that the extremists are gloating on how we are fighting among ourselves. Would this unrest be a national news item if it was a synagogue or Catholic church? I think 'not in my backyard' would be moot.

Still, the one issue we have to protest that affects all of us is the epidemic of the bed bugs. It is not only something we, the people, have no control of but it is affecting our economy. The mosque has taken up so much media coverage the epidemic is on the back page.

Getting rid of bed bugs is costly! I had bed bugs in my apartment as did 30 apartments in my building, a building made up of seniors living on their social security, many of them handicapped. After the prepping we have to live in plastic bags for three weeks when they return to do another application. I escaped to my summer home and hired "Rex" a dog hired out to sniff around for bed bugs. It cost $400 for less than five minutes of his time.

We are lucky we have a place to retreat to. The economy is affected since the bugs are in department stores, movie houses, etc. My family is fearful of going out to eat, for we may sit on a chair or a couch that has bugs. At this time we refuse to fly or enter any department store in fear of bringing bugs back home,

The federal government and the president hase to focus on how our lives are impacted, how the economy will be worse than it is now, and the rising epidemic. It's Sunday as I write this and I haven't seen Senator Charles Schumer attempt to make this a national issue. It is becoming national, since it has traveled quickly to other states.

Those of you who are expending your energies protesting a mosque should allow the freedom of those who also lost their loved ones on Sept.11. But why are our mayor and government officials not protesting about the lack of interest about the bug epidemic that will soon become a national problem?

Citizen groups should organize (within all the boroughs) and demand our scientists find something to stop this epidemic. I was told by two exterminators this will be a worse epidemic than the one in the 1940's when our G.I's brought them in, and it can last from five to ten years.

It is time to organize and put this issue on the front pages and TV stations nationally. You can also send a letter to President Obama reminding him how this is affecting the poor economy he is trying to save. The only companies making mega bucks are the exterminators.